Good News ... Genes Are Not Destiny!

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Article 7 in our series:

"HEALTHY AT ANY WEIGHT IS A LIE"

Genes Are Not Destiny!

We all have said or heard someone say, "Have you seen my family ... I don't have a chance at being healthy!"

Obesity-Promoting Genes in an Obesity-Promoting World

Genes influence every aspect of human physiology, development, and adaptation. Obesity is no exception.

Research into the relationship between certain foods and obesity is shedding more light on the interaction between diet, genes, and obesity.

What’s increasingly clear from these early findings is that genetic factors identified so far make only a small contribution to obesity risk and that our genes are not our destiny: Many people who carry these so-called “obesity genes” do not become overweight, and healthy lifestyles can counteract these genetic effects.

Moving from genetic predisposition to obesity itself generally requires some change in diet, lifestyle, or other environmental factors.

Some of those changes include the following:

the availability of food at all hours of the day and in places that once did not sell food, such as gas stations, pharmacies, and office supply stores;
a dramatic decrease in physical activity during work, domestic activities, and leisure time, especially among children;
increased time spent watching television, using computers, and performing other sedentary activities; and
the influx of highly processed foods, fast food, and sugar-sweetened beverages, along with the ubiquitous marketing campaigns that promote them.

The Bottom Line: Healthy Environments and Lifestyles Can Counteract Gene-Related Risks

Having a better understanding of the genetic contributions to obesity, especially common obesity-and gene-environment interactions, will generate a better understanding of the causal pathways that lead to obesity. Such information could someday yield promising strategies for obesity prevention and treatment. But it’s important to remember that overall, the contribution of genes to obesity risk is small, while the contribution of our toxic food and activity environment is huge.

As one scientist wrote, “Genes may co-determine who becomes obese, but our environment determines how many become obese.” That’s why obesity prevention efforts must focus on changing our environment to make healthy choices "easier choices" for all!

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Healthy Weight Checklist

Here are simple steps you can take to help keep weight in check and lower the risk of many chronic diseases.

Eat Well

Research shows that tracking helps you lose and maintain your weight. It makes you aware of what you’re eating, how much you’re eating, and how many PersonalPoints™ you’re using. Along the way, you’ll start to recognize healthier choices, too.

Stay Active

Activity burns calories. Plus, it builds, preserves, and tones muscle tissue. Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat does — even when the body is at rest. Exercise helps you look and feel great while losing weight. If there ever were a magic bullet for good health, physical activity would be it.

Limit Screen Time

Watching TV can be enjoyable and informative but it can also be double jeopardy when it comes to weight. It’s a completely sedentary activity that also seems to promote unhealthy eating through the ads, product placements, and other promotions that constantly pitch high-calorie, low-nutrient food, and drinks.

Get Enough Sleep

There is more and more evidence that a good night’s sleep is important to good health and may also help keep weight in check. Knowing how much sleep you get and when you’re getting it can show you what’s working—and what’s not—giving you the power to make healthy changes that improve your shut-eye.

Relax

Today’s world is full of daily stresses. This is a normal part of life, but when these stresses become too much, they can take a toll on health and contribute to weight gain by leading to unhealthy eating and other unhealthy activities. Take a break and de-stress. Take deep breaths or meditate. Do something with friends or family. Meet for coffee, make a date with your partner, go to the park together.

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This week's letter from DebW

General Manager and Voice of Philadelphia

September 21, 2022

Hello Philadelphia Members,

Probably the most important habit to build in a healthier lifestyle is tracking/journaling our food intake.

I also know this is the most disliked “chore” of weight loss and maintenance.

The thing is, if we were naturally healthy weight individuals like some of our family and friends around us, this wouldn’t be necessary but that’s not the case. Tracking food intake is the step it takes to make me and many Members like me aware of the amount of food I have eaten or plan on eating during any given day.

I’ve joked for decades that I suffer from food amnesia. I can’t remember breakfast, so I eat it again before lunch. This is why I MUST track.

Now the method of tracking that any particular Member does can come in many forms. Some pre-track the whole day and with great detail (bless them). Some use learned shortcuts, either method they have devised for themselves or something another Member or Staff (remember we’re Members too) recommended and then customized to work for our own life.

I’m more of a POINTS by meal tracker. What that means is I like to use 6 or less for weekday breakfast, 8 or less for weekday lunch, and the rest of my dailies for dinner and a snack. I usually add 3 or more POINTS daily by eating several servings of vegetables and because I make planovers (mentioned in last week’s letter from me), I typically have the evening meal POINTS planned out too. Of course, there’s always the fly-in-the-ointment moment when I go to a restaurant mid-week, or someone offers an especially tasty treat.

Here are my basic rules for myself about those times; this is what Weekly POINTS are for!!! Spend them, enjoy the food. If the two-pound weight loss isn’t there this week, it’s okay. It’s LIFE and this process is LIFE LONG. Remember we’re not part of the naturally healthy weight crowd, this is a process of being aware and making livable habits that work for each of us individually.

I know it is possible for every one of us to achieve. The extra support you need is as close as your local workshop.